| | ESPN.com news services
PARIS -- Martina Navratilova says the older she gets, the
harder it is to control her nerves.
Navratilova's French Open comeback ended Wednesday when she and Mariaan de
Swardt lost to France's Alexandra Fusai and Natalie Tauziat 2-6,
6-2, 7-5 in a match begun late Tuesday as darkness fell.
Navratilova said she was annoyed that she hasn't managed to play
as well in a match as she has in practice.
|  | | Martina Navratilova, right, wishes she had played as well in Wednesday's match with Mariaan de Swardt as she has in practice. |
"That's just nerves. That's getting better, every match is
getting better," she said.
A two-time singles champion and seven-time doubles winner at the
French Open, Navratilova came out of retirement to play at
Roland Garros for the first time since 1994. She is halfway
through her four-tournament comeback.
Next up, Navratilova will compete at a grass-court event in
Eastbourne, England in two weeks before attempting to tie Billie
Jean King for the most overall Wimbledon titles with 20 later
this month.
Navratilova was eliminated in the second round of mixed doubles Sunday.
Navratilova, 43, said all athletes get increasingly nervous as
they age.
"You feel so much more, maybe the love of the game and you want
to do so well. You know your time is running out," she said. "You
know what pressure is. I played Evonne Goolagong in the
quarterfinals in 1973 and had set point. I could have beaten her. I
was having the time of my life.
"Now if I had to play a quarterfinals singles match, I don't
know if I could walk out there, I'd be so nervous," she said.
There were no women's singles matches Wednesday.
There were no women's singles matches played Wednesday.
Top-seeded Martina Hingis will play her doubles partner,
sixth-seeded Frenchwoman Mary Pierce, in the women's semifinals
Thursday.
The other matchup will be between two Spaniards, No. 5
Conchita Martinez and No. 8 Arantxa Sachez-Vicario, a three-time
champion.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. | |
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